According to this KRIS 6 News report, there are ‘rumblings’ that some members of city council are considering changing the ordinance that forced Uber and Lyft to leave Corpus Christi. This seems like great news.

Encourage them by signing our online petition which automatically sends them all an email.

Council may remove fingerprint rule from ride sharing ordinance

By Andrew Ellison

There are rumblings City Council may remove the fingerprinting requirement from the ordinance it passed on March 8. It would mean ride share drivers would not have be fingerprinted, but the city would be able to audit the background checks conducted by their companies.

“It’s my understanding that it is the deal killer with Uber. Uber does not want the fingerprint,” said Michael McCauley, an attorney and a spokesman for the group of petitioners asking City Council to change the ordinance.

Swapping the fingerprint requirement for auditing power is good enough for them, he says.

“When somebody comes into town and they can’t use Uber or Lyft, they’re probably going to think less of our city,” said McCauley.

College Station utilizes a similar concept of auditing background checks in its ride sharing ordinance. The city also doesn’t require fingerprinting.

Councilwoman Carolyn Vaughn said she is open to the change.

“I definitely want them to stay,” said Vaughan. “I’m very hopeful. On my part, I’m open to it, and so I’m hopeful the other council members are going to hear it as well, and be positive about it.”

Any proposed change to the ordinance will likely be discussed at the next council meeting on March 28.

KRIS 6 News reached out to Uber and Lyft for comment, but they have not yet responded. Both companies have previously singled out fingerprinting as a big issue.

Supporters of ride sharing in Corpus Christi filed a referendum Tuesday asking that City Council put the discussion on the regulations back on the agenda, but the paperwork goes a step further.

Council member Chad Magill made the same request Friday. But the group’s request is different. Supporters said if City Council denies Magill’s request and does not put the ride sharing regulations back on the agenda, or if they do discuss the matter again, but leave the rules on the books, the group would then begin a petition drive to seek enough signatures to put the issue on the November ballot.

Local attorney, Michael McCauley said “The council has until the end of the council session at the next council session on the 29th of March to overturn the ordinance that they passed.”

Lyft driver Craig Jamison said he just hopes ride sharing operations resume operations in the city.

“My hopes are just to kind of hope that we can secure March 29 that this ordinance gets re-looked at and they sign a negotiation paper with Uber and Lyft to negotiate with them so we can return and all of the ride share drivers can get on with our lives and continue to serve the community,” said Jamison.

Uber and Lyft both ended operations in Corpus Christi because of the transportation ordinance that was approved by council on Mar. 8. It requires ride share drivers to undergo background checks that include fingerprinting.

It’s official: the City Council will have to vote again on the ordinance that pushed popular ride-hailing companies Lyft and Uber out of town at its next regular meeting, or the issue could end up on the November ballot.

A group of citizens, led by Michael McCauley and Steve DeAses, delivered a document to the city secretary’s office Tuesday announcing they intend to secure signatures to put the City Council’s March 8 decision up for a referendum in November. Organizers have said if the council doesn’t adopt an ordinance Uber approves of, they’ll move forward with the referendum process.

“It’s a shame this council is so far disconnected from the citizens that they don’t get it on this issue,” DeAses said. “It’s more safe to have drunk drivers off the road and give people options. It’s just so ridiculous to take options away under the message of protecting us.”

The group’s efforts may not be needed.

The council is expected to reconsider the ordinance during its March 29 meeting after City Councilman Chad Magill, who supported the measure initially, filed a motion Friday to reconsider.

“The motion to reconsider is a clear message that we are listening, and new information reopens the conversation — and rightfully so,” Magill said.

That new information was a set of ordinance options sent to Magill by Uber officials Thursday, he said. One of those suggestions is the ability for the city to audit Uber’s background check system twice annually — a concept that doesn’t negate the benefits of a fingerprint-based solution, but offers an added level of security, Magill said.

But saying the council is backtracking due to public opinion doesn’t tell the whole story, Magill added.

“It’s easy to blame the council, but the reality is new information is available now that I contacted Uber in person,” he said.

Also at the March 29 meeting, Huerta will officially notify the council of a pending referendum — a statement the group hopes will spur a pro-Uber ordinance from the council.

“We shouldn’t push out business models that don’t meet burdensome regulations,” DeAses said. “We need to pass regulations that work with modern companies.”

He added the group intends to launch the website saveuberincc.com Tuesday, and members of the public will be able to sign the petition electronically. Every signature will send an email to each member of the council informing them when a voter has signed.

Speaking Monday, City Councilwoman Colleen McIntyre said she expects the March 8 ordinance will be altered in a way that keeps Uber in town legally.

Twitter: @reportermatt

RULES OF THE ROAD

In addition to drivers submitting to fingerprint-based background checks (estimated to cost about $38), transportation network companies and drivers have to meet other requirements.

DRIVERS MUST:

Pay a $50 application fee after a clean background check,

Pay a $15 vehicle inspection fee,

Not drive more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period,

Drivers may not refuse to transport someone to any destination within the city limits,

Display a company sign on the car that’s visible at least 50 feet away,

Drivers may not solicit customers anywhere in the city, and

Drivers may not respond to customers on the street who ask to hire their vehicle.

THE COMPANY MUST:

Pay a permit fee equal to 2 percent of the gross revenue for each vehicle in the city quarterly, and

Renew permits annually

Source: City documents

]]>http://saveuberincc.com/caller-times-pro-uber-groups-submits-first-document-related-to-referendum/feed/0113KIIITV: Citizens Filing Documents for Uber Vote in Novemberhttp://saveuberincc.com/kiiitv-citizens-filing-documents-for-uber-vote-in-november/
http://saveuberincc.com/kiiitv-citizens-filing-documents-for-uber-vote-in-november/#respondWed, 16 Mar 2016 01:44:28 +0000http://saveuberincc.com/?p=110KIIITV aired a good segment on our filing for referendum this morning. Let’s keep up the momentum. Visit our new website at saveuberincc.com and sign the petition if you support us! We’ve gotten 136 digital signatures in the last couple hours since the site went live. That’s 136 emails to each city council member letting them know how we feel. Share the petition with your friends!‪ #‎saveuberincc‬

In November, Corpus Christi voters could be the deciding factor in the ongoing dispute involving ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft and the City of Corpus Christi. On Tuesday ridesharing advocates filed the necessary documents with the City Secretary’s Office to make this a possibility.

Kiii News Anchor Rudy Trevino looked into the case and came back with the details.

Attorney Michael McCauley submitted the required documents to circulate petitions. He said they will give City leaders a real idea of how many citizens want the ridesharing issue referendum changed.

“We hope based on the information that we’ve learned in the last few days that Chad Magill’s motion to reconsider that is going to be heard in the next Council meeting will make all of this moot,” McCauley said.

Uber driver Craig Jamison said he has been unemployed since the City passed the ordinance requiring tougher background checks and fees for ridesharing companies.

“I’ve actually been driving between Uber and Lyft for the past two years out here, and I survive on this for my income. This is how I support my family,” Jamison said. “I do this full time out here. I’m out here 50 hours plus a week driving in Corpus Christi.”

A half-dozen people showed up at City Hall Tuesday to submit the documents, saying they want to send Council members a message.

“How could our City Council be so disconnected with the citizens of Corpus Christi to even take the position that they did on this issue?” community supporter Steve DeAses said. “It’s unfortunate that they don’t represent the public.”